Rambler & ICAP Leopard after rounding Fastnet Rock Photo ©Rolex

ICAP Leopard smashes Rolex Fastnet Race record by 8 hours, 50 mins. At 08h 58m 53sec local time, Mike Slade’s new 100-foot super maxi crossed the finish line off the Plymouth breakwater under spinnaker, breaking the Rolex Fastnet Race monohull race record that has stood since 1999 in rough conditions that saw 186 yachts retire from the race.

Good new for Alex Thompson who in his new Hugo Boss Open 60 with co-skipper Andrew Cape (AUS) managed to cross the finish line in Plymouth, UK, at 15:48:01 BST, missing out on second place to VELUX 5 Oceans Race winner Bernard Stamm (SUI) aboard Cheminées Poujoulat by just 11 minutes.

We saw 40 knots at Lizard Point, more in the gusts…it’s was at night, and it’s hard to gauge the seas, but the boat is very solid and we never had to back off. On the contrary, you can push the boat
Mike Slade, ICAP Leopard Owner

With an elapsed time of 1 day, 20 hours, 18 minutes, the Bruce Farr designed ICAP Leopard (GBR) chopped just under 9 hours off the record set by Ross Field on the 80-foot RF Yachting. Wind was southwest at 10-15 knots as the boat finished in a light rain and reduced visibility.

ICAP Leopard approaching Fastnet Rock

Mike Slade said, “You’re always looking over your shoulder. The race against Neville would have been a heck of a struggle, even though the conditions and point of sail favoured us…But to have his old boat (Rambler is the former Shockwave/Alfa Romeo) come and pip us would have been hard to forgive.”